Devil's Tower

Devil's Tower, in Slovene Hudičev turn, is a small Baroque garden pavilion at the edge of Dolenjske Toplice, in the Lower Carniolan valley of the Sušica and Krka. It was built in the seventeenth century as part of the grounds of Soteska Castle, which belonged to the noble Auersperg family, one of the great landowning houses of Carniola. A garden pavilion of this kind was a place for the family and its guests to sit, talk, listen to music and look out over the park, and the one in Dolenjske Toplice is the only well-preserved example of its type in Slovenia, which gives it a special place in the history of the country's architecture.

The building has an unusual plan. Instead of a simple square or rectangle, it is based on a trefoil, a shape with three rounded lobes joined at the centre, like a clover leaf, which creates a compact and graceful volume with a domed or vaulted roof. The walls inside are decorated with painted architecture and scenes in the illusionistic manner of the Baroque, in which the painter creates the effect of columns, balconies and open sky on a flat surface, and figures from mythology and allegory appear among them. Restoration has recovered much of the colour and detail of this decoration, which is now the main attraction of the interior. The small size of the room means that the paintings surround visitors closely, and the acoustics make it a pleasant space for chamber music.

The name comes from local tradition. As with many strange or striking buildings, stories grew up around it, and one of them held that the devil himself had a hand in its construction or that something unholy happened within its walls, which is how it came to be called the Devil's Tower. Such legends are common across Slovenia, where buildings with unusual form often attracted folk explanations, and they add to the charm of the visit. A wall with portals encloses the site, and the nearby ruins of Soteska Castle hint at the larger complex that once stood here.

The pavilion is used today for concerts, exhibitions and cultural events, and it can be visited during the season or by arrangement, so check before going. It is a short walk from the spa centre, and it combines easily with other things to do in town. The Divji Potok Creek Circular Hiking Trail, the Wooden Bridge Over the Sušica Stream, Hotel Balnea and the Balnea Hotel Restaurant, the Vitarium Spa & Beauty, the Thermal Swimming Pools and the Dolenjske Toplice Spa are all nearby, and the Craft Beer Scene and Outdoor Activities add variety. The Peaceful Campsite by the River is another option for a stay.